The Penn State REACH team has been quick to recognize the changing needs of the Lebanon and Reading communities over the past several weeks. As the COVID-19 situation has unfolded, families have been faced with unprecedented challenges including loss of income and housing. Our Community Health Workers and REACH team members have jumped into action to help families in the Hispanic and Latino communities stay informed about best practices to avoid the spread of COVID-19 and how to seek help if needed.
A significant challenge that local government, healthcare systems, and community organizations have faced is providing understandable and culturally appropriate messaging about the importance of social distancing and best practices to follow if someone is sick. In response, the REACH team partnered with Penn State Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes). Together we are facilitating a community-facing webinar series in Spanish and English to disseminate information about important topics related to COVID-19 such as home preparation, managing mental health, and managing chronic conditions during the pandemic. The REACH team has worked with community partners to develop a collection of Spanish and English Public Service Announcements (PSAs), which have been published through local social media outlets to reinforce the importance of following CDC guidelines for preventing the spread of COVID-19. The Spanish PSAs regarding what to do if a family member is sick are being utilized by WellSpan Health in their Hispanic and Latino markets. These PSAs are available for any community organizations to use and can be accessed here. Our team also met with the Executive Director of the PA Governor’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs and the Office of Health Equity Director for the Department of Health to discuss the importance of consistent messaging in Spanish and offer our assistance in tailoring information for Hispanic and Latino audiences.
Madeline Bermudez, a bilingual, REACH-funded Community Health Worker (CHW) in Lebanon County, has been convening virtual meetings with leaders in the Hispanic and Latino communities to discuss the greatest struggles that community members are facing and how to best keep communities informed of local resources. She and Diana Rodriguez, our REACH-funded CHW in Berks County, each created one-page resources in Spanish and English for their respective communities to address questi
ons regarding food access, unemployment benefits, utilities, what to do when awaiting COVID-19 test results, and other important topics. These resources (links listed below) are available for any community organizations to share, and have been distributed to families picking up meals from local school district distribution sites. In addition, our CHWs have offered our communities other services such as interpretation and translation for local non-profits serving Hispanic and Latino populations.Lebanon County One-Page Resources:
Non-Medical Resources, COVID Positive, Now What?
Berks County One-Page Resources:
Non-Medical Resources
Although our work looks a little different than it normally does, our team is proud to adapt to our communities’ needs and help in any way we can. Check out this article in the Lebanon Daily News summarizing the issues being faced by Hispanic and Latino communities in Lebanon County and how the community has come together in response. Please reach out to us if you have identified any additional ways the REACH team may be able to serve Lebanon and Berks counties at this time.